Permit Toolbox

The Permit Toolbox provides online resources to guide local enforcement agencies (LEAs), operators, applicants, and CalRecycle staff to:

  • Obtain, process, and maintain new and revised solid waste facility permits and
  • Complete other permit-related tasks and responsibilities

Solid waste local enforcement agencies regulate solid waste handling, processing, and disposal activities. These include:

  • Solid waste landfills
  • Transfer/processing
  • In-vessel digestion
  • Compostable material handling
  • Transformation

Some activities require a full solid waste facility permit, some are excluded from permitting requirements, others are allowed to operate after making a notification to the LEA, and many others are allowed to operate with lower tiered permit. 

There are five tiers of regulation for solid waste handling activities:

  1. Excluded Solid Waste Handling
  2. Enforcement Agency Notification
  3. Registration Permit
  4. Standardized Permit
  5. Full Permit

The first two tiers do not require a solid waste facility permit, while the last three do.
The tier level of an activity depends on:

  • The type of activity
  • The type and amount of solid waste handled.

What’s New in the Permit Toolbox

For the latest changes and additions to the Permit Toolbox, please see the What’s New webpage. This page tracks the maintenance history of all updates made to the permit toolbox.

The Permit Toolbox is organized by the following categories: Regulatory Tiers, Facility Type, Application and Permit Packages, and Permit Tasks.
Use the drop-down boxes below to navigate content by category.

Regulatory Tiers

Depending on the relative environmental impacts, a facility can qualify for one of five regulatory tiers. Choose from the list to find information and resources on the type of regulatory tier.

Application and Permit Packages

Each permit and application submission requires the attachment of additional information, documents, and findings.
Choose from this list for more information on each part of the application. Also, see the full permit list.

Facility Type

Solid waste enforcement agencies (EA) regulate many types of facilities and operations that handle, process, dispose, or otherwise manage solid waste. Solid waste facilities require either a full or registration permit to operate and must comply with applicable operating standards. Operations under an enforcement agency notification tier do not require a permit but are still required to meet applicable operating standards. See the full list of facilities and operations.

Permit Tasks

Choose from this list of the most common permit-related tasks for more information on each step of the permit process. Also, see the permit task/tier chart to compare the steps required for each type of permit.

Permit Bill of Rights

The California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) has initiated reforms and continues:

  • To make environmental permitting more efficient and less costly and
  • To ensure that those seeking permits receive timely responses from the boards and departments of the CalEPA

To further this goal, CalEPA has developed and endorses the Environmental Permit Applicant’s Bill of Rights (from the CalEPA website).

Toolbox Maintenance

This resource is continuously changing and improving based on new information and your feedback. If you have any suggestions on how to improve the toolbox, contact PermitTrainingAssistance@calrecycle.ca.gov.